


a detective and a leader (and not being fit for the roles)

by tenkaede



Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Dialogue Heavy, Gen, Kokichi is a little shit, Mentioned Murder, Talentswap, an idea test
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-12
Updated: 2019-06-12
Packaged: 2020-05-01 20:58:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19185406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tenkaede/pseuds/tenkaede
Summary: An Ultimate Detective and an Ultimate Supreme Leader walk into a gym.The punchline is that Kokichi Oma is the detective, Shuichi Saihara is the leader, and being a detective doesn't make Kokichi any less difficult.





	a detective and a leader (and not being fit for the roles)

“I thought Rantaro was your friend.” 

Shuichi’s voice is soft, but accusing. His lips are a line, but troubled. His eyes are narrowed, but searching. 

This tells Kokichi a lot of things. He could spend the entire day analyzing Shuichi, if he wanted. It wouldn’t be too hard. The walls of the gym only serve as their rendezvous until they’re done talking, without other student interference, but that doesn’t mean Kokichi has to play everything to him straight. 

Kokichi allows a smile to grace his lips, just enough to show off some teeth, make Shuichi think that he’s getting somewhere. The Ultimate Supreme Leader may be good with people, but he’s not good with Kokichi. 

“He was,” Kokichi tuts, sticking up a gloved finger, “and you know what he did? You know, you know?” Of course, Shuichi knows, and Kokichi leaves just enough of a pause for Shuichi to start talking. Kokichi cuts him off. “He killed our dear pianist and lied about his talent!” 

Kokichi turns in a circle, eyeing Shuichi for a reaction. Under his weird, lame crown, his brows furrow, and the corner of his mouth turns downwards. The subtle change makes Kokichi continue. “The Ultimate Assassin. Who would’ve thought? A guy like that is way too good-looking to kill people.” Faux surprise fills Kokichi’s voice. “Oops! I mean, was.” 

“You’re being cruel,” Shuichi says, without even a hint of hesitation. “You know he was trying to save us from the time limit.” 

“And you know that he did that by killing someone and, instead of taking that whole First Blood Perk that Monokuma set up for him, making us go through an entire class trial!” Kokichi twirls on one foot and struts closer to Shuichi. He looks at Kokichi from the corner of his eye. “He only confessed after we found out his admittedly well-done crime. And he lied during the trial!” Kokichi runs a hand over Shuichi’s cape and drawls, “you know how much I hate liars, mister leader.” 

Shuichi smacks Kokichi’s gloved hand away from his cape. Kokichi whines, fake pain lacing his voice, and chuckles when Shuichi rolls his eyes. 

Shuichi starts, but Kokichi interrupts. “So, why did you come here all accusingly and mean-y like that? You know that if he’d gotten away with it, no matter how much the magic of friendship is real, or whatever, we’d have all died, right?” 

“Ah, yeah.” There it is. The discomfort that Kokichi’s been seeking. “But you made the trial all the more difficult by abusing your status as the Ultimate Detective and running everyone in circles.” He raises his hand when Kokichi opens his mouth. Kokichi plays along and waits for Shuichi to continue. “Then you humiliated Rantaro until he confessed, and after that. It was so much harder than it could’ve been…” He avoids Kokichi’s eyes. The especially for Kaede goes unspoken. 

“This is a killing game, Shuichi. Monokuma wants a performance!” Kokichi grins, spreads his arms, and leans forward on his toes. “It’ll all be so much better if we give it to him.” 

The declaration must come as some kind of surprise. Shuichi makes some kind of choked noise that might as well be music to Kokichi’s ears, and his eyes widen. His mouth opens, then closes, and then opens again. What is he, a goldfish? Kokichi smirks while he waits for Shuichi to respond. 

When Shuichi finally does, his eyes are back to narrow, lips pulled back in a pained grimace. “What is wrong with you?” 

“Huh, what’s that?” Kokichi raises a hand to his ear. “You’re gonna have to elaborate, Shuichi.”

“Two people are dead,” Shuichi says, “and you want to play Monokuma’s game? What happens if more people die?” 

“Well, that’s not gonna happen. You promised everyone, as a leader, that you weren’t gonna let anyone else die, didn’t you?” Kokichi’s expression falls, and his tone steels. “Don’t answer that. I could tell that you were lying when you said that.” 

Shuichi quietens. Kokichi goes back to grinning, adjusting his checkered deerstalker cap. The promise is still clear in Kokichi’s mind, and Shuichi’s voice still echoes in his head. The empty promise of safety to break the silence of the wait down to the trial room. The confidence in his voice to sooth Himiko’s shaking (even though the aikido-master had said she was fine just minutes ago) and Kaede’s worrying (even though she had promised to take down the culprit). 

Shuichi adjusts his crown, biting his lip, and says, “are you going to cause trouble for the rest of us, Kokichi?” 

In no time at all, Kokichi coos, “aww, are you worried about the rest of your little subordinates, Shuichi?” 

“Ah, I mean,” Shuichi inhales, “yes. I’m a leader, you know. I have to… take care of them. And I’m not going to let you stir them up for the sake of playing into Monokuma’s hands.” 

“You’re worried that I’m going to murder someone,” Kokichi says, sharply. Shuichi stiffens. Not by much, but Kokichi catches the tensing of his shoulders and the clenching of his jaw. “I’m still a detective, Shuichi! It’s my job to catch evildoers. If someone doesn’t kill me for being the Ultimate Detective first, anyway.” He hums. “That’d be a shame, wouldn’t it? You’ll have to protect me, Shuichi. Keep me under your leaderly wings.”

“I’m going to protect everyone,” Shuichi says, “and I’m going to escape, just as Rantaro wi--” 

“I’ll cut through your words!” 

The look on Shuichi’s face is absolutely divine when Kokichi parrots his catchphrase from the trial. Man, if only he were the Ultimate Photographer instead of the Ultimate Detective. 

Kokichi feigns innocence, rocking on his heels. “Sorry. Couldn’t help it!” He raises one hand. “After all, can you really follow the wish of a murderer?” 

Shuichi scowls. 

“D’awwww, don’t look at me like that. I have a point, don’t I?” Kokichi raises his hands innocently. 

“We’re done here.” Shuichi states. “I don’t know what I was trying to do.” 

He turns and walks, cape trailing behind him. It’s very dramatic. Maybe Kokichi’d appreciate it if his cape didn’t look so lame. He allows a moment, then two, for Shuichi to start taking his leave, and then bounces after the leader.

“Don’t--” Shuichi starts, having heard Kokichi’s shoes against the floor.

“Y’know I believe in your whole protecting people thing, right?” Kokichi says, quietly enough to sound genuine. He even wipes the smile off his face, thin line to take its place. 

Shuichi pauses in his stride, glancing over his shoulder. “... Really?” 

Kokichi holds the silence for one, two, three, four seconds. Smiles. “No. That was just a lie! I can’t believe you fell for that?” 

Shuichi splutters, frustration evident. “Why do you keep doing that?” 

“Doing what?” 

“Lying?” 

“Because,” Kokichi says, feigning innocence. “It’s fun.” 

“No, I mean,” Shuichi pinches the bridge of his nose, then slides his hand down, over his mouth. “Hiding your feelings. Your true feelings.” 

Oh, that’s what he meant? Kokichi finds his answer quickly, but hums anyway. He can almost feel Shuichi’s anticipation when he raises a finger, free hand on his hip. 

“Oh, that’s simple!” Kokichi chirps. “It’s because I’m a detective.”

**Author's Note:**

> writing some ideas just in case one day i manage to figure out how to write long and convoluted class trials and manage my own talentswap. not beta read


End file.
